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If you love Google Maps despite being an iOS fan, don't despair. You can still use Google Maps for navigation, even on an Apple device.

Steps

Part 1

Setting Your Route

1

Open the Google Maps app. On iPhone and iPad, the Google Maps app will look like a colorful map, along with a red pin in the top right corner and a white capital G in the top left corner.

2

Adjust your map view if desired. Tap the levels button from the top right corner (which looks like two papers stacked on top of each other); then tap either "Default," "Satellite," or "Terrain" as desired. Google Maps has three view-levels: Two of them feature maps without satellite images, while the third has satellite imagery. Tap the X in the top right corner to close the dialog box.

3

Search for the place you'd like to navigate to. Use the search box at the top of the screen. Initially, it will say "Try gas stations, ATMs..." but you can search for any type of location, address, or even solely by the name of the business.

Enable your phone's microphone and dictate your location to the app. Tap the Microphone in the search bar and begin speaking; to stop, either press the red button on-screen or stop speaking.

Look around the map until you find the place you'd like to navigate towards. Tap the item's pin. Alternatively, you can tap the business or location directly from the search listing.

If you need additional information about the location - such as a business telephone number, website or similar - you can pull the resultant profile bar up and continue to scroll the page up until the information you want is displayed then tap the number and you should begin calling the number given. You can also share this place's information with others, or find the place's address, hours, or even suggest an edit. This page contains Google's reviews of the location along with an average star rating (if applicable).

4

Check your transportation mode. Hit "Directions" and look at the line of types under the end location, towards the top of the screen. Google Maps can provide directions for people traveling by car, by walking, by cycling or by mass-transport (if available).

If you haven't changed this setting in the past, the default will be driving. You can select your option below the "Destination" box (there's an icon for each mode of transportation).

If you later start a route and realize your transportation mode is wrong, you can adjust it.

5

Tweak your route, if desired. You may see a few different route options in grey, with similar or different ETAs. If you want to change your route, just tap the alternative.

If you need to add another stop on your route, hit the three horizontal dots in the top right corner of the screen, next to your starting location. Then click "Add stop" and specify your desired location or address, just like you did the first. If you need to remove a secondary stop, you can press the "X" next to it. For more information, check out How to Add Multiple Destinations on Google Maps.

Part 2

Navigating and Reading Directions

1

Read the map. If you haven't changed the levels from Satellite to Default/Terrain, the navigation will be a map view from above.

2

Read the turn-by-turn line directions from the green bar at the top of the screen. You'll be given a graphical representation of the type of turn you are expected to make, along with the current road and direction of travel. You will also be given your mileage to next turn.

If the next turn is more than 10 miles away, the mileage to next turn will count down at one mile increments. Following that, the mileage will count down in tenth of a mile increments up until the .1 mi mark, then directions flip to feet increments starting at 1,200 feet (370 m) when notifications come in hundred feet increments until you reach your next turn.

3

Change or add to your route, if necessary. Tap the magnifying glass under the turn-by-turn directions green bar; then tap the service type you'd like to find (gas station, restaurant, grocery stores, coffee shops, search (for something else)) and search for the extra stop. If you accidentally pressed this button, just tap the "Search" button to return to routing.

Google Maps will look for items on or within a tenth of a mile of the route.

4

Listen for the audible directions of your route as you continue to follow the directions. Your directions sound as you approach points at .5- and a little under .1 miles away from the turn.

Tap the mute button, if you'd like to mute the audible turn-by-turn directions.

5

Look for the compass point to change direction as you follow the instructions. The red and white compass pointer on the map is a button that will allow you to turn the map so north points upward. Tap it again and it will re-adjust to your former viewing direction.

6

Be careful with routes where the ETA changes. Sometimes, you'll see a route with a similar ETA (highlighted by grey bar with "similar ETA" pointing at the route). However, as you creep closer, they may change and say "(number) min slower". You can switch between routes as the estimated times change, if desired.

7

Look at the bottom bar. You'll see your travel time, distance to the location and ETA. Your travel time may either be black (for no delays on the route), yellow (some but not a lot of delays) or sometime even red (for unavoidable problems that may cause terrible traffic delays).

If needed, use the all-caps "re-center" button to help you re-center your map.

If you scroll this bar up, you'll have additional options, such as "Share trip progress", "Search along route", "Preview route", "Directions" and "Settings", as well as an "Exit" button to stop the navigation if desired.

8

Watch and listen to your directions as you get closer to your final destination. At one hundred feet from the destination, the bottom of the screen will either say "finishing", "arriving","bon appetit" (for restaurants) or even "Welcome home" (if the address is your home). At a quarter of a mile, your audible turn directions will tell you that you are approaching your destination.

Community Q&A

Tips

Your visual icon standing for your car can't be changed. This arrow shaped icon indicates the position of your car on the navigation map.

If you ever need to end a route early, during a Google Maps navigation you'll also see an "Exit" button in the bottom right corner to stop navigation until you are ready to resume it.

Google Maps will ask you to run through several options - including signing into a Google Account and enabling Location Services among the few items. You can check the status of and enable Location services by going into "Settings," and select "Google Maps" (almost halfway down the list). Tap the "Location" listing if it doesn't already say either "While Using" or "Always". Select either of these settings. Exit back out by tapping the "< Google Maps" button in the top left corner.

You're desired route runs into another state? No problem! Google Maps will welcome you to the next state once it detects you might have crossed the state border. You will see a blue banner pop up that says "Welcome to" on the top line and a much bigger-font of the state name underneath.

Article Info

wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, volunteer authors worked to edit and improve it over time. This article has also been viewed 8,554 times.